Fighting Together
by waitwhathuh
Summary: What do you do when you find out one of the people you love most in the world has cancer? How do you both deal? Cori.


**Author's Notes: Hey. This is my first story, so, go easy on me. Unless you have reeeaally good constructive criticism in which case... let me have it! This is a subject (and pairing) dear to my heart so, I hope you enjoy reading it as much as I enjoyed writing it. Also, fluffs ahoy.**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Victorious or their characters. I'm also really sorry if I offend anyone who has had to deal with this. I tried to write it in the most tasteful yet realistically harsh way possible.**

* * *

I hear my phone buzz on my night table. I prop myself up off my bed and away from my homework to look at the hand-sized screen. A smile dances on my lips as I see the face of my girlfriend of one year, Cat Valentine, under the text saying "Incoming Call". I pick up the phone and hold it to my ear.

"Hey, love." I say into the receiver. At first, there's silence, then I hear some shallow breathing. The hairs on the back of my neck stand up as I begin to get nervous. Something isn't right. "Cat?"

"Tori…" I hear barely whispered from her usually perky voice.

"Cat, honey, what's wrong?"

"Tori… I need to see you…"

"Sure thing. But tell me what's going on. You're freaking me out, here." My voice is dripping with concern as I hear her choke back a sob.

"I just heard from my doctor." She breathes out. I go numb. "Please, Tori, I just need to feel your arms around me right now." Cat begs.

"On my way."

* * *

It's about a week later. We're sitting in the waiting room outside of the oncology ward of the hospital waiting to see the doctor. Cat is tense beside me, reading a magazine. I'm lost in thought, mind still reeling from what's happened.

Cat had been getting some really nasty headaches every day for the past few months. She ignored it at first, saying that it was probably just stress with having to deal with senior year at Hollywood Arts. I urged her to go to a doctor to have it checked out, but she didn't decide to go in until a headache got so intense during and audition that she passed out. Luckily, the script called for fainting at that moment and she got the part, but it was still enough to scare her into seeing someone about her head.

I was worried, as any decent girlfriend would be. But I thought after a few tests they'd write it off as something like anemia or low blood pressure. Hell, maybe she was just dehydrated all the time and needed to drink more water. I thought about this outcome but I had pushed it out of my mind. I never wanted it to be this. Never this.

After they did blood work, CAT-Scan (I remember her giggling at that), an MRI and a bunch of other tests, they called her a week ago to break the news.

Brain tumour. Cat Valentine has a brain tumour, and it's malignant.

I drove to her house that night she called me and I didn't waste any time bursting through her door and wrapping my arms around her. We held each other and cried all night. She hasn't talked about it since then, which worries me. Every time I try to bring it up, she changes the subject. I can't push her, since I can't imagine what she's going through. She'll talk to me about it when she's ready. Actually, I'm quite astounded at the brave face she's putting on. Nobody at school could tell that Cat had just received life changing news. She was just her usual, happy self. I guess that's why she's considered such a great actor. If everyone watched her as much as I did, though, they'd notice that every so often her eyes get a bit glossy and her lip quivers. In these moments I simply lace my fingers with hers or touch her arm in a comforting way. She always gives me a grateful smile, and I know it's genuine.

Now we're sitting in this big bland room with semi-comfy chairs and trashy magazines. And everything smells like bleach. Cat had her appointment with the oncologist today, and she asked me to go with her. I feel honoured, and a bit sad. I know she wishes her parents could be here, but her dad couldn't get out of work and her mother was across the country at a breath-holding contest. And her brother… well, I don't think he'd be much help. So I'm the next best thing, even though Cat assured me that she wouldn't want anyone else to be here but me.

I let out a long breath we learned in one of our acting classes. It's called a "sigh of sound", and it always provides a cathartic release for any pent up tension. Cat recognizes it and let's out her own. I feel a bit better as I see a small smile grace her features in response.

"Did you hear about this, Tori?" Cat asks in regard to the magazine. "Kanye left Kim, and is apparently fooling around with some blonde in another State."

"Ugh, Kanye, as if I'd ever expect something different from him." I scoff. If she wants small talk right now, I'll give her small talk.

"Yeah, but still. She's having his child! He must have no form of humanity." Cat huffs.

"Maybe it was mutually decided. You know those kinds of magazines never tell the full story." I reason.

"That's true. But this is what makes me angry. This says that Khloe is now the prettier sister, just because Kim put on some pregnancy weight! That's ridiculous. First of all, who are they to have the right to say which person is prettier in the first place? And then they can't say someone's uglier because they're pregnant. I mean, they have a beautiful thing going on! They're growing a tiny human! If that's not incredible, I don't know what is. I mean, just because somebody has some sort of… ailment, doesn't mean they're any less pretty, or any less of a person, or that they shouldn't go on living," She starts shaking. "Or, or, or-"

I place a hand on her arms and her head snaps to look at me, breaking her out of the tangent she was on. I start gently rubbing my hand up and down her arm in a means to calm her down. Cat has always been unpredictable when it comes to her emotions. After dating her for a year, and being friends before that, I had become pretty accustomed to her mood swings. This was a whole other level though, and I wanted to make sure I treaded carefully.

She bites her lip and gives me an apologetic look. She closes the magazine slowly and places it on the table in front of her. Then she pulls her arm away from my touch and slips my hand into hers. She places it on her knee and strokes it lightly with her thumb while staring straight ahead. More silence. Oh, Cat. I wish I could help you with what you're going through right now.

I allow myself to be selfish for a moment. I feel helpless. I don't want my girlfriend to be sick. I don't want any of this. But it's not anybody's fault. I really want somebody to blame, though. For one humorous moment, I think about blaming Jade. It's always Jade's fault.

I feel her squeeze my hand hard, and I can feel her nails slightly dig into me. I look over to her to see that her eyes are closed. I need to say something. Anything.

"Cat-"

"Are you going to leave me?" She chokes out. The question winds me. I feel my mouth dry up and I have to take a moment before I'm able to respond.

"What do you mean?"

She whips her head to me, her eyes now open and glistening with tears. "You know what I mean."

I know I have to be very careful with my words here. The grip on my hand is getting tighter. "Why would I leave you? Because of this? The-" I feel the need to whisper it, "tumour? Cat, no way. You can't get rid of me that easily. The thought never even crossed my mind."

She let's go of my hand and stands up facing me. I can see all her pent up frustration reaching the surface. "Why not? I mean, I would leave me. Who wants a girlfriend with cancer? Nobody. You know why, Tori? Because people with cancer die, and not in an elegant way either. What is this oncologist going to tell me today? That I have 6 months to live? In that time, I'll slowly deteriorate and lose all my sanity. Not that I have a lot of that in the first place. I'll become bed ridden and unresponsive. People will have to feed me and give me sponge baths all the way up to the very end as some cluster of mutated cells pushes against my skull and brain. Oh, but it's okay! Maybe we can lengthen my life an extra 6 months with chemotherapy! That'll be great. Getting zapped regularly with radiation until my hair falls out! And I know how much you love my hair, Tori. I hope you're into bald people as well because I don't know what to tell you. Either way, that's my future now. Is that the kind of girlfriend you want, Tori?! Huh?!" Cat's trembling ferociously, and she seems out of breath from her release of emotion. I know I should be saying something, but I just sit there, slack-jawed. She takes a few deep breaths before continuing in a low, shaky voice. "I love you too much to keep you with me. You deserve better. I won't let you subject yourself to what I'm going to become because you feel some sort of moral obligation. I'm not worth it."

That's it. I stand up and cup her face in my hands. I look straight into her eyes. I can see the fear there. She's terrified of the cancer and of being alone. I need her to hear me. I _need_ her to understand. "Yes." I state.

"Wh-what?"

"I mean, yes, yes I do want someone like you as my girlfriend. I don't care if you had every affliction in the medical journals. I don't care if you were going to die tomorrow. I love you, Cat. There's nowhere else I'd rather be than by your side during this. And I'm NOT going to change my mind about that. You are the most beautiful person I know, hair or not. I'm sure you'll still look sexy as all hell without hair anyway. And your personality – god, the cancer can't stop that. You're strong, Cat. You won't let this get you down. I know you won't. And even if it does end up being debilitating for you, I will stick around for those few flashes of Cat that I know will show up. And I want you to see me in those moments. And nothings for sure, anyway. I'm ready, Cat. I'm ready to go on this journey with you. Whatever happens, I'm going to be there. 'Cause I know I would hate myself and regret it for the rest of my life if I didn't stay by your side during this. And not for 'moral obligations' either. Because I love you. So, again, no. I'm not leaving you. The thought never even crossed my mind." I finish.

There are tears streaming freely down her face now, and the faintest of smiles grace her features once again. "Oh, Tori…" She sighs. She leans forward and captures my lips with a kiss. Her arms snake around my waist and hold me tightly while my arms wrap around her neck. The kiss starts out light and tentative, but soon grows deeper as she throws out all of her doubts and fully confides her feelings to me. I can feel her hunger for me, and her gratefulness. In this embrace, I know we've gotten over a hurdle and we can be ready for the next one.

I pull her down onto the semi-comfy chair and have her sit on my lap. Our arms switch positions as we continue to kiss. I don't care that there are others walking by the waiting room. Let them think what they want. Right now, it's me and Cat. I pull away and start leaving little kisses on her neck. She lets out a soft moan and I can feel the ecstasy of our love for each other. My lips trace up her neck to her jawline and up to her ear. "Cat… Cat I love you." I whisper. I hear and feel her giggle and she pulls away to tip my chin towards her.

"I love you too. So much." She leaves another soft kiss on my lips, one that's intimate and sweet. She pulls back and leans her forehead on mine. She gives me a smile. "Thank you, Tori. You have no idea how much this means to me… How much YOU mean to me." She admits.

"I think I have an idea." I breathe out, returning a smile.

"No, I mean… you're honestly the best thing that has ever happened to me. And I was so scared that this cancer would take you away too…" Cat sighed. I'm about to pipe up when she places a finger on my lips. "But now I know I can count on you, Tori. For anything. For what's to come."

I smile and kiss her finger. "Whatever happens now, we'll face it together. I promise."

"Mhm." She gives a soft nod. We sit there, leaning against each other with our eyes closed for a minute, taking each other in. Finally, the doctor walks out.

"Cat Valentine?"

Cat slips off me. "Yes, that's me."

"I'm ready to see you now."

"Okay!" She says in her usual perky voice. She pulls me up with her. "Can Tori come too?"

The doctor stands there for a minute, pondering. "And who is Miss Tori to you?"

"I'm her girlfriend." I answer. He looks us up and down for a moment before sighing.

"Very well, come on both of you." He drawls as he saunters back into the room. Cat gives me a big grin and grabs my arm, pulling me along. Thank goodness for open-minded doctors!

In that moment, both of us walking into the room together, I knew we could get through this. It would be tough, there would be a lot of tears, but together we were stronger. She wouldn't have to fight this cancer alone. We'll both fight it. Together.

* * *

**Author's Notes: I hope you liked that/hope it was hard to read in a a good way. Review if you want. Or don't. I don't own you! **


End file.
